Four years ago a tree was planted in memory of her dead son who died at just one day old.

Now Lisa Ellis has been left heartbroken after she was ordered to take down ornaments from the tree at Croft Cemetery marking the death of her son Beany.

Mrs Ellis said she was devastated after Croft Parish Council ordered her to remove trinkets from the ornamental apple tree.

It was planted in 2013 after Beany died in October 2010.

She said: “I am absolutely heartbroken and devastated by this order.

“I just can’t believe how anyone can so heartless and uncaring.

“Beany died on the day he was born and this is how we can remember him as part of our family.”

Ms Ellis, who has another son called Julius, five, with her partner Alexander, said they put ornaments on the day to mark special occasions.

She said: “It is how we involve Beany in our life and how we tell Julius all about him.

“I would love it if the council could see fit to allow us and everyone else with a tree to keep them as they are.

“I don’t think it’s that much to ask in the circumstances.”

A spokesman for Croft Parish Council, who run the cemetery, said: “The decision to ask for decorations to be removed has been taken in the interest of preserving a suitable natural environment, intended at the outset and desired by the majority of visitors.

“We are not just looking at trees as we have also had to ask for ornaments and lights to be removed from graves.

“This is to aid both the general appearance and to facilitate grass cutting.

“Flowers are permitted, of course, and the extent is defined in the rules.

“I am sorry that this decision has caused upset.

“People grieve in different ways and choose their own means to keep their memories alive but in allowing trees to be planted it was the intention that the tree would commemorate the life lost and would be sufficient in itself.”

People with ornaments on commemorative trees at the cemetery had until June 30 to remove the ornaments.